Saerian Republican Guard
The Saerian Republican Guard, known formally as the 35th Saerian Dragoons, are a mechanized infantry regiment of the Astra Militarum hailing from the civilized world Saeria. Founded in M36, the regiment has officially been in constant service since in one form or another. The 35th is notable for its aggressive style of warfare; employing the use of Chimera transports to allow rapid deployment of infantry to critical areas. The regiment first earned its honor at the battle of Vinton Prime in M38 against the Cult of the Faithful Son, ultimately suffering great losses but succeeding in purging the world of the xenos influence before it grew too great. History of Saeria Great Crusade - Horus Heresy Situated in the Ultima Segmentum, within the Elethar Sector, lays the planet Saeria. A civilized world of fifteen billion souls, it is the capital world of it’s sparsely populated sector of the Imperium. Saeria is best known for its indulgent aristocracy, great works of art, and the unique regiments tithed to the Imperial Guard. Saeria possesses some manufacturing capabilities that largely only services the needs of Saeria system. Saeria had been originally conquered in the last days of the Great Crusade, owing it’s compliance to an Ultramarines Imperial Expeditionary Fleet. The Ultramarines commander saw that the Saerians possessed technology that by all Imperial standards would be considered primitive, and saw that the planet was deeply divided among various political borders and engaging in open warfare across much of the world. The Ultramarines Commander, Captain Jule, did not command a massive force, but believed that his company of Legionnaires and ten thousand soldiers of the Imperial Army would be sufficient to create a beachhead, and force the compliance of at least some of the worlds conflicting forces. The story of what occurred was largely struct from the records of the Ultramarines, and thus the only account is that of the Saerian general Charles De’Monte. “The Imperium found us disunited, at war with one another. They failed to capitalize on our disunity and in their rush to conquer they united us. Their force is great, but our will is greater. We learned much from them, and they have learned much of us." Whatever the case, the invasion prompted a the creation of United Saerian state that would five years later accept entry into the Imperium, with De’Monte appointed as the planetary governor. Saerian soldiers recruited into the Imperial Army would see service in the Horus Heresy, but the world itself remained unmarred by the violence. As the fallout of the Horus Heresy eventually gave rise to the Imperium we know today, Saerian society reflected many of those changes in ways unique to their world. This gave rise to the Four Pillars: The Aristocracy, the Clergy, the Republic, and the Consul. The Founding of the Four Pillars (M31-M35) , homeworld of the Saerian Republican Guard.]] The Aristocracy views itself as the heart of Saeria, the defenders of its culture. The Aristocracy holds domain over the many growing fields of Saeria; From grapes to make wine, to algae to feed the masses, to hunting the great sea monsters who meat and bones are exceptionally valuable. Most maintain their own private militia's, though agreements with the Administratum obliged them to tithe a small percentage to serve as elite units among Saerian Imperial Guard forces. The Clergy evolved from the great museums of Saeria as pressure from the growing Ecclesiarchy demanded that worship of the Emperor as God be enforced. This resulted in a sect of the Imperial Creed bound to Saeria and neighboring systems named “The Great Patron.” Though this move had initially saved Saeria the ire of the faith, it had over the millennium become little more than a pious system of exploitation. All works of art were required to venerate the Emperor, and as such simple errors become blasphemies. Religious mandate disallowed any but the clergy to engage in high-arts. The Republic is a rather unique feature of Saeria not found commonly elsewhere in the Imperium, effectively operating as a civilian democracy. Though by the M35, the Republican has been almost entirely defanged, made into little more than a ceremonial body. Before the Fall of Cadia the only power it still held was the confirmation of the Consul. The Consul is not truly elected by any democratic understanding, but yet every year a vote is cast by the senate to reconfirm the office for the current holder. Decline of the Republic. M35-M37 No Consul has failed to be reconfirmed since M35; when deadly electrodes were placed in the voting consoles which would activate upon voting no. In M36 this created a political crisis as the vote to reaffirm the Consul became a point of public protest. Pressure from the commons, of which the Republic's senate derived it's authority, demanded the Consul be removed for his percieved crimes against the people of Saeria and for a reconstitution of the senate's power. Nearly every single senator voted in the interest of their people. While this was considered an act of extreme bravery and loyalty, it had the effect of completely removing the Consul's opposition. The Consul quickly moved to fill those empty seats with more reliable politicians. This event effectively ended the Republic's role as the representative of the people for nearly three thousand years. This marked a brutal uptick in the exploitation of the commoners, who had little choice but to work simply to live. Workers revolts were common but none managed to do anything but earn the Consul's ire. Decline of the Clergy and the Consul. M38-M41 Dark Eldar raids in the late years of M38 had resulted in a great deal of damaged infrastructure and the loss of approximately 18.7% of the Saerian population. The attacks seemed to have been focused on the holdings of the clergy, and PDF garrisons to brutal effect. With the means of holding power now weakened deeply, the rising tide of civilians aware of that weakness began to surge. It became apparent that the workers might successfully revolt without the PDF to quell them. As a measure to prevent this the right of the people to decide their senators was re-established by Consul De'Marcus. Though much of their ancient powers still solely belonged to the Consul, this move did prevent any immediate rebellion. This political makeup remained mostly unchanged throughout the following centuries, but the people did not. Growing resentment against the Consul and the Clergy had united the unlikely allies of Republic and the Aristocracy. This new bloc shifts the balance of power. The Opening of the Great Rift The Fall of Cadia, as it did elsewhere, changed everything. It started with confusion and fear. “What of the Imperium?” The Consul asked, seeing horror stretch across the night. “What will we do?” Murmured the Archbishop. Yet what appeared as an ill omen to some was a rallying cry to others. Workers threw down their tools and stormed their factories, slaughtering their overlords and task masters with the fury of free men. The fire spreads across the unnaturally lit night as the enforcers fail to contain the surging fury of the rising workers. The Conculs own city was burning with revolution. He attempts to flee off world but his own guards had betrayed him before he could leave his palace. In the morning he was beheaded, and many others shared the same fate. Their corpses were thrown into the forges, and their heads stuck upon pikes outside of the Senate. These brutal acts were sanctioned by General Stanbridge, but that night many atrocities more occurred without sanction or reason. Bands of rage-drunk workers wielding weaponized-power tools, hand-made melee weapons, and other vicious weapons plied the streets. Loyalty to any faction seemed beyond them as they set upon any and all along their path, screaming mad cries of hatred and branding themselves with dark symbols. The it seemed that the last of those groups had largely been put down by the morning, but their actions were not forgotten as agents of the Clergy remaining in the cities relayed the information to their superiors. The local Planetary Defence Forces were paralyzed with inaction, as their oaths were directly made to the Consul, then to the Republic. With the Consul dead, many commanders choose to fortify their positions. On the second day of the uprising a PDF commander by the name of General Kethan Stanbridge declared in a planet wide Vox transmission to all soldiers of Saeria and the Imperium that he had been appointed Consul by the Senate. He continued on to accuse the Clergy, and the old Consul of heresy. The Clergy responded by mobilizing the Imperial Guard garrison, comprised mostly of veteran PDF that had been selected for the Tithe. Though they were badly outnumbered they did hold a strong defensive position in the northern mountains, as well as the superior armament. The Aristocrats had little ire for the Consul, but a tremendous amount for the Clergy who they viewed to have been actively destroying the historical and artist traditions of Saeria for thousands of years. Thus they marshaled their armies and set out to route them from their mountain holdfast. As the Clergy was penned into their mountain holdfasts, and the Aristocracy carrying out the business of besieging them, the last cities were finally liberated from the old regime in a matter of days by the PDF. With the roads controlled by the PDF the Senators from each of the great cities were called to the capital to convene the first true Senate since M35. Y'Delan the Poet Radical overlords were not the only trouble that would plague the Saerian Republic, as soon a new threat was making itself known. In the form of a adolescent boy; a nascent psyker who powers began to appear only weeks before the coming of Great Rift. Whatever name he held before his awakening has been lost, as the one that spread on the lips of his followers buried it. "Y'delan the Poet." Y'Delan served as a page to the aristocrat Xavier Berengar, having found the boy years before in the wreckage of a ship torn to pieces to by the same Sea-Beasts he hunted. Y'Delan served his lord dutifully, and who allowed him the paper to indulge in his writing. To be sure, such an act was considered heretical by the the Clergy, for such things were in their domain alone. Lord Berengar embraced his heresy with a cautious, but defiant attitude; he like so many of his peers detested the Clergy's rule. The boy's psychic awakening came softly, so much so he barely was aware of its occurrence. There were no terrible nightmares, nor mutation, nor madness. It introduced itself in a dream, and as he woke he rushed to jot down the sweet music and beautiful words; he knew it was no less than the divine touch of the Great Patron that spurred such genius. For weeks he labored, each night a new and powerful vision granting him the inspiration to create the next piece: It was completed on the day the Great Rift tore across the sky. He came to his master on that day and asked him for his leave to venture out into the world. Although he was reluctant, he found he could not refuse the boy that request. Y'Delan ventured forth to find those granted visions in their dreams. The Fall of Forteresse Lumière The Republican Guard, newly formed and ready to fight, was dispatched to assist the Aristocrats laying siege on the remaining outposts and fortification of the Clergy. The reinforcements proved be the breaking point and managed to collapse all but Forteresse Lumière: the seat of the Clergy, and the primary repository for the collected art and history of Saeria. Gaining control of this structure without destroying its priceless artifacts was consider the first priority of the Senate, to the ire of many of their soldiers. Consul Stanbridge however could see no way to salvage the situation in a direct battle. The fortress was strong and well-armed, nestled into the mountains and void-shielded. They simply lacked the munitions for the artillery pieces and tanks necessary to bring it down. The Clergy would destroy everything if they were attacked, and the poor fools they sent to parley came back with increasing demands for them to withdraw. In a bid to buy for time, and perhaps breach the shield, two concurrent plans were concocted: A regiment in the forward siege line would attempt to 'defect' to the clergy, and elite teams from the Aristocrat's levies would attempt to breach the facility through the mountain itself. The plan proved to be a costly success, and one mired in secrecy. The regiment that attempted to defect to the Clergy had been a distraction, but indeed it was a short one. They were fired upon the moment they were within the range of the fortress guns; less than half of the regiment turned to Republican lines. The stormtroopers fared little better in their mission. All communication with them ceased shortly after the folly on the field. Consul Stanbridge humiliation was palpable but never had a chance to spread; the Void shields, and indeed the entire defensive network of the Forteresse Lumière, had fallen. With their forces still on standby from the earlier gambit, it took little time for them to capitalize on the situation. The Republican Guard swarmed the mountain holdfast, and with luck the Clerics only managed to destroy 47% of the stored artifacts before their were beaten. Saeria was now shared only by the Aristocracy and the Republic, with only Consul Stanbridge uniting them now that the Clergy is defeated. The Wake of Muses Elsewhere a growing band of traveling artists ply the roads, going from village to village, town to town, city to city, sharing their work to all they encounter. Though they went by a different name in each of the places they stopped, they were starting to be known as the “Wandering Muses” to the wider world. Y'Delan had grown himself a following, taking with him from each place he visited those whose minds and abilities were greater than that of the common man. Emergent pyskers found his presence to be soothing, often receiving beautiful visions within their dreams days before the boy even reached their village or hab. Many others followed him, slavishly devoted to the beauty of his voice and the depths of his work. By the time Forteresse Lumière fell, Y'Delan's following had swelled to tens of thousands. His inner-circle, know as the Muses, was comprised of 66 psykers, broken into 11 groups of 6 each devoted to a single discipline of the arts. It was on this day that Y'Delan had declared his magnum-opus complete, and send word to Lord Berengar; who had brought his forces to assist in the siege as did so many other Aristocrats. Delighted that his page had survived the war he began to make plans for a proper showing of the boy's talent. After some convincing Consul Stanbridge agreed that a celebration was in order now that the conflict was over. With Stanbridge seeing to bigger matters of the state, such festivities were left to Lord Berengar to plan. The week after the Clergy was defeated was a blur of motion as much of the PDF and remaining workforce was shifted to reconstruction and police actions. Reports of rage-cults rampaging through the narrow streets of Saera's City were arising again. The followers of Y'Delan continued to grow, with many of the Aristocracy either joining his cult, or patronizing it with their great wealth. Perhaps most importantly was the arrival of the Rogue Trader, Adeline Yvettus. The first ship to breach the warp and translate back into realspace around Saeria. Yvettus was the offspring of a aristocratic house of Saeria, who's great-great grandfather acquired a warrant of trade in exchange for the entirety of his great collections. Yvettus' return was no accident, though it was delayed by the cataclysm that ripped the galaxy apart. She brought little news with her, though she was adamant that the Imperium had not yet fallen. She may or may not have noticed the sparks of discomfort in the Senate, but the Consul had no such fear. The senate attempted to force Stanbridge to reveal the contents of the secret talks between he and Yvettus, but would not succeed. The Celebration The Celebration of the Saerian Triumph was a momentous event, so much so that the Senate declared it a feast week. The factories were shuttered, the senate hall closed, and every noble's court laid empty. Millions gathered in the Capital City, cared for by a surprisingly hospitable Aristocracy who's donations of wine and food filled the streets with goods for all. Across the city's many streets and gathering places were arrayed countless Vox-speakers so that the poetry of Y'Delan could be shared with all; another donation of the kindly nobles. For six days the city surged with life and indulgence, love and joy filling the streets as an ecstatic population finally felt what it was to be free men. Yet the celebrations were not without trouble, as it was rumored that some kind of narcotic was being distributed, that the wines and foods were laced with something. Yet each day the celebrations grew ever more in its excess. The stories from the city filtered back to the Republican Guard units stationed outside of the city, stories that began to unsettle General Binel. Such festivities are wasteful, and make a people weak, but there was something else. Something entirely wrong, but he did not know for certain what. Consul Stanbridge had not replied to the general's communications since the second day. Growing in concern, Binel secretly sent orders to his subordinates to quietly make themselves ready for anything that may happen. This step would ensure the safety of the units under his command, but the refusal to do more damned many. What started as a feast had turned into a city of debauchery. Millions had entered the city, but only thousands remained on the seventh day, as celebration turned to excess, and excess into horror. They marched through the streets of the city dressed in the skins of willing victims, some still alive by the benefit of extreme narcotics. Lord Berengar leads the procession, naked save for a grisly necklace and a clout made from the face of Consul Stanbridge, gifted to him by the Consul himself who now wore a mask of blood. All that ate and drank of the lordling's gifts willingly gave into the temptations of the flesh...Yet some did not partake, finding themselves hiding among their habs and factories as they were gleefully hunted by the drug-addled madmen, save one: The Rogue Trader Adeline Yvettus. Adeline, to her regret at the time, had contracted a virus that plagued Saeria after her family's exodus from it. Through vaccinations, proper corpse disposal, and simple adaptation; the virus hadn't seriously plagued the world in centuries. Yvettus however had none of those defenses, and her time aboard the comparatively sterile Void-Ship conditions did not help either. Though she was still upon the planet, she had taken to recovering in the comfort of her luxurious lander for the sake of quarantine. She witnessed the city descent into Chaos, but Vox-Jammers and docking clamps prevented her from taking any action. In the orgy of sex, death, and insane celebration, it appeared that she was forgotten about, for now. Y'Delan, with the 66 members of his Inner-Circle behind him and the 666 of his psyker adherents below him, finally made his appearance to the masses waiting for him at the Consul's palace. When the boy spoke the fever-pitch of the crowd halted, silenced for the first time in days. No loyal ears remained to hear the boy's words, but the wails of ecstasy and joy coming from the city carried on a foul wind to the ears of the Republican Guard stationed outside. The last word of the poem is spoken by all; Y'Delan, the 66, the 666, and the masses: Each of the 66 and the 666 drawing a sacrificial dagger across their throats, and the masses begin to consume each other, sharing their flesh with the glee of a happy host. As the life flows from each of the 66 and the 666, Y'Delan's form slowly rises to into the air for all to see. His mortal form twists and breaks, his soul tied to that of the Prince of Pleasure as the warp-energies surrounding him transform him into a Daemon-Prince. Daemons of Slaanesh pour from the tear in reality surrounding them, slaughtering all that remains and decorating the Consul's palace with their viscera. The act is complete, and the veil is lifting. Summarizations of Events following the Celebration (WIP) -Ynnari Dark Eldar, lead by Farseer Ralata reach Yvettus and ask her assistance in closing the growing hole in reality. They succeed at heavy cost. -Republican Guard reinforcements are called to secure the city. Yvettus is found alive and well in her landing ship. The entire population of the capital city is lost, est: 170,000.000. General Binel orders the city to be razed and a cordon of the Republican Guard is created around the ruins. -The power of the Aristocracy is gone, the senate and the Consul are dead, and the conflict that had started three years ago created a massive loss of life and resources. The Republican Guard orders martial law. General Binel assumes the role of Lord-General. -Resource shortages begin to be felt dearly, food shortages in particular effect the entirety of Saeria. It's moon, Kasia, runs out of supplies and is not issued rations. -Yvettus offers to attempt a blind Warp jump to a nearby agri-world if a regiment of the Republican Guard is seconded to her vessel's defense. Colonel Stanbridge's 35th Mechanized Regiment is selected for the task. -Yvettus and the 35th arrive in the Faerx system 47 days after setting out. 32% of crew lost due to minor gellar field fluctuation create a 32% loss of crew. Navigator survives. -Faerx Prime is overjoyed to welcome Imperial survivors. A treaty is formed between Faerx and Saeria, with the former providing food in exchange for protection from the latter. The 35th Saerian is left in system, and the Destiny Abound's holds are filled with nutrient paste. -The Destiny Abound returns to Saeria 22 days later. The food supplies are estimated to last 60 days. More regiments are created. -The Destiny Abound begins to regularly make trips between Saeria and Faerx. Over the course of two years 50 regiments of the Republican Guard are stationed on Faerx. -Public demand and instability favors the rebuilding of the Republic or oppressive control of the population. Against all odds reason wins, Lord-General Binel steps down his authority to a simple general and the Senate is reformed. -By Senate approval the Republican guard units stationed in Faerx Prime are ordered to eize control of the planet. Local PDF and Imperial Guard regiments are swiftly defeated. -In a span of 4 years, 17 warp-capable ships are impressed into Yvettus' growing fleet. -flickers of the Astronomican are seen for the first time since the Great Rift opened. Fleet navigators assure Yevttus that many new systems have opened. -The Senate elects a new Consul, though his powers are deeply limited. Upon hearing of Yvettus' assurances, the senate votes to assemble a force to garrison and ensure trade with other surviving human worlds. 60,000,000 Republic Guardians set out to the stars. -Over the course of the next 21 years 8 more planets are reunited by the Saerians. Some happily, others less so. Saeria's borders include a number of uninhabited systems with mineral resources and are more or less contiguous. -Ten worlds fall under the umbrella of Saeria's protection and governance. The Mechanicus, Ministorum, and Questoris worlds are independent of Saeria's right to control the sector, but are party to the forum of the Saerian Senate. Some worlds resisted Saeria's attempts to reassert control, though only the Hive world Polix managed to hold off invasion. An agreement was struct between Polix and Saeria allowing Polix autonomous control in exchange for subservience to the Senate off-world. -Dozens of systems in the sector are as of yet still unreachable. *(Worlds marked as Dejure were once formerly subservient to Saeria in its position as Sector Capital Pre-Great Rift. Worlds marked as Defacto were not directly subservient to Saeria Pre-Great Rift.) *'Saerian (Civilised World [Capital):' *'Gruya 7 (Agri-World Dejure):' *'Hoplon (Knight-World Defacto):' *'Faustianaux (Forge World Defacto):' *'Polix (Hive-World Defacto):' *'Olust 3 (Mining Colony Dejure):' *'Faerx Prime (Agri-World Dejure):' *'Ylina Secondus (Death World Dejure):' *'Ryeniar (Shrine World Defacto):' Category:Imperial Guard Category:Imperial Guard Regiments Category:Imperium Category:Mechanized Infantry Regiments